Thill-coupling



(No Model.) T A. WATROUS THILL COUPLING.

No. 531,884. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT THOMAS A. XVATROUS, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

THlLL-COUPLING.

fiPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,884, dated January1, 1 895.

Application filed July 5,1894 Serial No. 516,757. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. VVATROUS, of Elmira, in the county ofGhemung and State of New Yorlghaveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in ThillCouplings; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improved thill coupling; and the object ofthe same is to provide a coupling that will be complete in itself, andone that will not need to be supplemented by any anti -rattling device.The same is durable, noiseless, simple and easy of adjustment, neat andat the same time cheap of construction.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafterfully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figural is a vertical sectional view of my improvedcoupler. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same partly in section. Fig. 3 isa detailed View of the bolt and bushing.

A designates the axle clip, B the clip arms and O the thill arm. Theshackle bolt D is threaded at one end in the usual manner while at itsopposite end it is formed with a head E which is circular upon itsperiphery with the exception of log F which extends therefrom as shownand extending entirely through one of the clip arms is a passage of thesame size and form as the head and through which the same is adapted tobe drawn when being tightened to position by the nut upon the oppositethreaded end of the bolt. Thus the bolt head instead of being seatedagainst the outer side of the clip arm in the usual manner is adapted tobe drawn therethrough in tightening up the thill so that there is nolimit to the adjustment of the bolt in accommodating itself to the wearof the coupling. The

bolt is reduced from its head inward toward its center as shown to formdepression G while the portion of the bolt between the depression andthe thread is smooth as shown, the latter constituting a shoulder H andadapted to fit in the reduced portion of the bolt is the split bushing Iwhich is of the same length as the depression. The bushing is straightor of the same diameter from its outer end inward to about its centerfrom which point it tapers to its inner end where it is substantially ofthe same diameter as the bolt proper. The straight portion of thebushing occupies a place partially within the clip arm while its innerend extends into the bolt passage of the thill arm as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 1. The passage in the thill arm is straght for aportion of its length and from this straight portion it tapers to asmaller size while the opposite end of the said opening or passage isstraight and of substantially the same diameter as the shackle bolt. Asthe parts are tightened to position the bushing is drawn into the thillarm with its tapered portion resting in the tapered portion of the thillarm passage while its straight portion occupies as before stated aportion of the space within the clip arm cavity and also the outer endof the thill arm cavity so that the bushing forms a collar which turnsfreelywith the thill arm when the latter is moved upon the bolt.

By means of the adjustment here shown and described it will be seen thatthe bushing when compressed and forced into the thill arm eye holds thelatter in a most firm manner from any displacement whatever. The bushingis preferably formed of tempered copper or other metal least affected byfriction so that it adds very materially to the durability of thecoupling.

The corners of nut J are preferably rounded particularly so at theirinner ends while the clip arm is formed with a slight depression toadmit the side of the nut with the rounded edges but which will bind theedges when the nut is forced thereinto, thus forming a very substantiallocking device for the nut and efiectually preventing its turning, whileat the same time the nut is materially braced by engagement with thewalls of the said depression.

When the thills are to be positioned the thill arms are simply placedbetween the clip arms and the belts with the bushings thereon insertedin the ordinary way of efiecting a coupling so that no straining orspring pressing is necessary to effect the engagement. The device ismost simple in construction and its outward appearance suggests thesimplest form of coupling, the additional parts forming the subject ofthe invention being entirely covered from View.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an improved thill coupling, the combination of the clip arms, athill having a tapering bolt passage, a shackle bolt reduced a portionof its length, a longitudinally split bushing of the same length as andconfined on said reduced portion and tapering at its inner end where itfits the bolt passage of the thill arm and straight upon its outerportion whereit restsin the clip arm, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In an improved thill coupling, the combination of the clip arms, athill arm, a passage in the thill arm which is straight and of differentdiameters at its opposite ends and tapering between its ends to connectthe same, a shackle bolt, and abushing carried thereby having a taperingend which is adapted to be forced into the tapering depression of the-thill arm and which at its outer end rests in the clip arm,substantially as shown and described.

3. In a thill coupling, the combination of the clip arms, a thill armhaving a passage straight at its ends but of difierent diameters andtapering between'said straight portions, a bolt of the same diameter asthe smallest diameter of the said arm passage, and a bushing carried bythe bolt having a portion of its exterior tapering to fit the taperedportion of the arm passage and straight the balance of its exterior tofit the arm passage at its largest diameter, substantially as shown anddescribed.

4. In a thill coupling, the combination ofthe clip arms and the thillarm recessed transversely to form substantially a continuous passagewhich as an entirety is straight at its ends and tapering between itsends, a bolt adjustable longitudinally through the passage and formedstraight 'upon its exterior to conform to the straight portions of thedepression, and a tapering transversely compressible bushing confined onthe bolt to fit the tapering portion of said passage, substantially asshown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS A. WATROUS.

Witnesses:

D. T. SLAUsoN, S. D. SLAUSON.

